Having a Christmas gathering this year? This celebration will cost more this year

Millions of Americans are preparing for the Christmas festivities, and many plan to spend time with loved ones and cook for the holidays.

Nearly three-quarters of U.S. consumers who celebrate Christmas have plans to get together with family and friends, leaving 33 percent behind. according to A number survey also revealed that 61 percent plan to cook or bake at home for the holidays.

with Christmas is fast approachingMany cooks probably prepare their grocery lists and pocketbooks for the occasion. In general, a Christmas meal and gingerbread, a popular holiday treat, will be more expensive in the U.S. this year because of popular ingredients that have risen in price over the years. Expana reported.

The commodity information provider said main meal prices – measured by the main meal index as part of the Christmas dinner index – jumped 2.3 per cent compared to last year. It examined turkey, pork, beef, shrimp, lamb, potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips.

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According to Expena, the price increase was “largely driven by higher prices for pork, lamb, shrimp and some vegetables.”

All meats that Expana tracked for the staple food index, except turkey, were up from last year. The cost of one 16 lb frozen turkey It showed a decrease of 13.7% compared to last November and reached an average of $1.07 per pound.

According to Expana, the price per pound of boneless leg of lamb will increase by 9.2% from 2023. Bone-in hams and ¼-inch bone-in hams were also up, with the former reported up 8.3 percent and the latter up 3.4 percent.

Among the vegetables in the main food index, the price of sweet potato has increased the most. at 2.6%. Potatoes and common turnips experienced smaller increases of 1.6% and 1.4%.

Expana pegged carrot prices at 58 cents per pound, down 19.2 percent from last year.

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Meanwhile, the report saw a 5.5 percent increase in its gingerbread index, which includes wheat flour, sugar, butter, eggs, ginger and cassia. The jump was largely linked to egg and sugar costs.

Commodities data showed that the “Mean Midwest Large Average Price” averaged $4.29 per dozen in November, a 97.5 percent increase over the same time last year.

The average price of a dozen large Grade A eggs in U.S. cities was $3.649 through November, compared with $2.138 a year earlier, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed.

Factors including “strong retail demand, Preparing for the holidaysAccording to Expena, constant inflation as well as bird flu have played a role in their higher costs.

In addition to eggs and sugar, ginger and cassia spices also had a high price.

However, butter and wheat have become expensive by Expena's standards. Their prices decreased by 2.2% and 2% respectively.

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Main course and gingerbread highlights make up Expana's Christmas dinner highlights. Taking into account changes in the cost of all the ingredients of each, Christmas meals and gingerbread together will increase by 2.4% from 2023, according to the report.

For the winter holidays, consumers will spend $261 on food, candy, decorations and other non-gift items, according to separate data from the National Retail Federation.